Ultracycling

try out my hutchinson combo in the classifieds? cheap enough to buy as a trial maybe but i would highly recommend them. A little bit more grip on the front still pretty slick. 42s. better puncture resistance than my g-ones and nanos.
Anyone considered doing the Utrecht Ultra? It looks, accessible, which is a good start following all these train conversations.

But that 2% makes a big damn problem. I pushed a couple of my clients onto tougher tyres around 38c this year, one carried a spare too. Quite nice to have that extra air to smooth out those bad Balkan roads too.

Yes - good point.

I used GP5000s on TCR (which I think you did too, no?) I was on 32mm. On the 40km off-road parcours I had limited influence on bike steering, and came off once. That shook me up, I had to do some bike and skin repairs, so it probably cost me at least an hour - although it could have been race-ending. And I would have gone faster on the parcours on tyres with more grip, so maybe I could have saved 2 hours, which might have been worth it, depending on what speed it would have cost on the thousands of miles of smooth tarmac!

Someone with loads of skill / experience off road might have lost less time with road tyres on an MTB parcours. And someone who had no clue off road might save more - so there is a rider-specific element to it too.

Yes I used those same tyres. I would do similar again but might go to 38. But for a everyday rider I'd move away from 5000s to something more robust and probably carry a spare. Lots of people's races end out there in the Balkans on those roads. It seems you got off lightly really.

Lots of people's races end out there in the Balkans on those roads

Does that happen to a lot of people? I can believe it but I don't recall hearing of many people having tyre failure.

Apart from the Irish guy who was stuck by the side of the main road in Bulgaria who I gave a tube to, I suppose!

Punctures, tyre failure, crashes. I don't have numbers but my perception of what I've seen a is it's a crux.

Anyone considered doing the Utrecht Ultra? It looks, accessible, which is a good start following all these train conversations.

I'm doing the XL in August.

I've very tempted by it, just hoping it doesn't sell out by the time I make my mind up.

Cool! It looks great

Never ridden in the Vosges so that appeals, as does not faffing around with trains and boats and planes to get there.

Yes, I am very tempted. BS on dutch trains is very limited (to their rather compact rush hours). Lovely warm up if you go via ferry too, either one, with easy bail options like the tram that goes along the whole length of the Belgium coast

I reckon I'd ferry to Hoek van Holland from Harwich and maybe even just ride to the depart, as the ferry gets in pretty early in the day.

I'm very curious about the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry too, I love a ferry! Anyone want to 'cheat' and do the Ultra together?

Didn't Birdman have issues with his GP5000s in the 'backwards' edition?

I hit a rock during Transiberica (on the road) and it pinched the tyre. Because of the location I guess, the boot failed maybe a day later. I was carrying a spare tyre in that race and used it to get me to the finish. 300g of insurance sometimes pays off.

I moved from faster to more durable road tyres (Michelin Pro Endurance) for TCR as they started adding more gravel. Still flatted a few times in most events. I'm pretty cautious descending dirt on road tyres. Nowadays with my shoulder I'd probably not even bother and I'd run gravel sized slicks. But I'm also turning into more of a tourist than racers these days.

I'll be there! Entered the XL for August. Ferry there and back is the plan and riding to the start is such a big bonus

I was carrying a spare tyre in that race

Heehee

I didn't see that one coming!

(said no one ever, when I approach)

#hippyisfat